2018 Program of Work

Quality of Place
Volunteer Executive
Tonya Oates, Turning Point
Behavioral Health, Chair of
Quality of Place
Staff Responsibility
Tabatha Duvall, Communication
Director
Brittany Villeneuve, Economic
Development Grants Coordinator
Major Function
Quality of Place is the soul of
a successful community; the
factors that go into it—places,
experiences, and people—add
up to the things that everyone
wants in their communities. They
have the ability to positively or
negatively impact the quality of
life of the people who live in, work
in, play in, and visit Russellville
and directly influence our future
community and economic
development. This group seeks
to create extraordinary personal
experiences in our community to
help raise Russellville’s Quality of
Place.
Uncommon Communities
Uncommon Communities is a
program founded by Dr. Vaughn
Grisham along with Breakthrough
russellvillechamber.org
Solutions, a division of UALR.
The program is facilitated by the
Winthrop Rockefeller Institute,
and consists of five counties in
central Arkansas that share similar
demographics and economic
struggles. The participants in
the program attend semimonthly
conferences that address issues
that these counties face, and
present opportunities to make
these communities desirable
locations to live, work, and play.
Beautification
1. Help update areas of town
to become more bicycle &
pedestrian friendly
2. Update gateways into the
city to welcome tourists and
travelers
3. Research and commission
a mural in downtown
Russellville
4. Support Historic Tax Credit
projects in the River Valley
5. Oversee a second “Paint the
River Valley” for buildings or
areas that need painting and
minor carpentry or general
clean up.
6. Support streetscaping projects
Health & Wellness
1. Promote walk-ability of the
city
2. Plan third annual Farm to
Fork Dinner for October
through Uncommon Communities.
Each Tuesday, Spring -
Early Winter, The Russellville
Pub Run begins at Depot Park
and ends at a local restaurant.
3. Develop incentives for Chamber
member business to implement
workplace wellness
programs.
Building Standards
1. Support city’s efforts to make
sure that buildings in town
fit current building standards
and to work toward modern
standards.
2. Work in support of El Paso
project and other possible
overlay districts.
3. Support downtown progress.
4. Support city’s efforts to expand
complete streets.
Parks & Recreation
1. Support the city in their
efforts to create a connected
trails system throughout
Russellville.
2. Work with the city of
Dardanelle to create a
pedestrian bridge across the
Arkansas River as a long range